+Aletus Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 I was intrigued as I read over the pre-release chapters from WoR, especially or specifically. The intrigue stemmed from this: WoR Chapter 1: Santhid She blinked her eyes, taking a Memory of the creature, collecting it for later sketching. If you notice, the word memory is capitalized - and described as a noun, or more properly, a thing or ability. Is Memory, caps, an ability related to her surgebinding, or a separate thing? It reminds me of the measurements from WotK Interlude, Geranid - at least a little. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimmingly Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 It's been capped for her entire viewpoint through WoK as well... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cromptj Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 I think it's clearly not a normal thing, otherwise it wouldn't be capitalised. But I have no idea what the Memories could be. Possibly some link to her surgebinding, like the storage of a memory in Shadesmar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardlet Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 I think it is capitalized because of the distinction and emphasis this sort of memory has in Shallan's mind. It is a distinct and particular meaning that is separate from a normal recollection memory. She is essentially taking a mental photograph which is stored until she draws the Memory later. After that, the Memory is erased from her mind, as it were. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamma Fiend Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Sounds something like Copper Feruchemy when worded like that... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysty Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 I asked if her Memories were a surge at the steelheart signing. Below is a link to my signing report. http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/4273-portland-steelheart-signing/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimmingly Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Haha! They're magical! (But possibly not surge binding exactly!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humph Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 If memory serves (pun not intended) I believe the "Memory" is described as harvesting a bud from the subject's being (soul?). Capturing a part of the essence of the being [spiritual plane], rather than merely being a "how it's viewed" kind of thing [cognitive plane]. An interesting question is -- how many other characters have such special non-spren / non-stormlight / non-honorblade abilities? I don't know if it would qualify, but Tien had the ability to find rocks with hidden patterns that would bring comfort to Kaladin. Others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardlet Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 An interesting question is -- how many other characters have such special non-spren / non-stormlight / non-honorblade abilities? I don't know if it would qualify, but Tien had the ability to find rocks with hidden patterns that would bring comfort to Kaladin. Others? Kaladin has an innate ability with the spear/staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavien Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Memory always struck me as similar to Thrill: an innate ability related to the roles that the 10 Silver Kingdoms had for the desolations. Thrill to help fight, Memory to remember and rebuild, etc. We just haven't seen others yet though if this is true I expect the Shin's to be related to growing and is why outsiders are not allowed to see the farms. The attitude of the person could also be strongly related instead of just inherited (Kaladin doesn't feel Thrill but appeared to in childhood, Shallan loves to draw from her memory so she has has practice to tap in) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardlet Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) The attitude of the person could also be strongly related instead of just inherited (Kaladin doesn't feel Thrill but appeared to in childhood, Shallan loves to draw from her memory so she has has practice to tap in) I asked Brandon about whether Kaladin felt the Thrill in the Jost flashback scene and this was his response. Interpret it how you will. Q: In the Kaladin-Jost sparring flashback, does Kaladin feel the Thrill? A: Did Kaladin feel the Thrill that, Whaoo, that’s a good question. I’m gonna RAFO that one because something odd is happening there that I don’t want to get into yet. Source Personally, I don't think he felt the Thrill. But, I agree with comparing this scene to Shallan's Memory ability. I think they are definitely similar in origin. However, I don't think the Thrill at large is comparable to Memory. I think that the Thrill is of more Nefarious origins. That said, it should be noted that Dalinar's experience with the Thrill is changing from the nefarious Thrill to something apparently more pure. Q: At the Battle of the Tower, the Thrill Dalinar describes seems different from previously described Thrills. Is something different happening here? A: Something different is happening. Source Edited February 19, 2014 by Shardlet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavien Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Thanks Shardlet! I remembered seeing discussion about that quote but couldn't remember the exact wording. The idea that Thrill has been corrupted over time makes a lot of sense. It feels like the entire Alethi society has slowly become corrupted to the point where they fight each other just for the sake of fighting each other, with no overriding purpose behind it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Aletus Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Maybe it started all going terribly wrong when Honor was shattered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardlet Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) Thanks Shardlet! I remembered seeing discussion about that quote but couldn't remember the exact wording. The idea that Thrill has been corrupted over time makes a lot of sense. It feels like the entire Alethi society has slowly become corrupted to the point where they fight each other just for the sake of fighting each other, with no overriding purpose behind it. Maybe it started all going terribly wrong when Honor was shattered. I'm not sure that the Thrill was necessarily corrupted. The comments of the blue KR in the Starfalls chapter leads me to suspect that the KR and other soldiers had to be trained to avoid being corrupted themselves. This suggested to me that the soldiers and KR (most notably the Alethelan ones) would be susceptible to the Thrill and they had to be trained in such a way as to experience what Dalinar appears to now experience (or at least at the Battle of the Tower). Edited February 19, 2014 by Shardlet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts